William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
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St Dunstan's in the East Parish is in City of London.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 8th March 1555. The sam day was a man sett on the pelere [for hurting] of one of the vj men that was sworne, and lyke [to have] bene slayne, and dyd suspend the chyrche of [saint] Donestones in the est.
On or before 20th December 1555 Alderman Henry Hudson [aged 55] died. He was buried at St Dunstan's in the East Parish.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 20th December 1555. The xx day of Dessember was bered at sant Donstones in the Est master Hare Herdsun [aged 55], altherman of London and skynner, and on of the masturs of the hospetall of the gray frers in London, with men and xxiiij women in mantyll fresse gownes, a hersse of wax, and hong with blake; and ther was my lord mare and the swordberer in blake, and dyvers odur althermen in blake, and the resedew of the aldermen, at ys beryng; and all the masters, boyth althermen and odur, with ther gren stayffes in ther handes, and all the chylderyn of the gray frersse, and iiij men in blake gownes bayryng iiij gret stayffes-torchys bornyng, and then xxiiij men with torchys bornyng; and the morowe iij masses songe; and after to ys plasse to dener; and ther was ij goodly whyt branchys, and mony prestes and clarkes syngyng.
Note. P. 99. Funeral of alderman Henry Heardson. His widow Barbara [aged 51] was remarried to alderman Richard Champion [aged 60]; and she erected a monument in St. Dunstan's in the East [Map], with kneeling effigies of herself and both the aldermen her husbands. See it described, with the poetical epitaphs, in Stowe's Survay. His arms were Argent, semee of fleursde-lis gules, a cross engrailed sable. He was never sheriff nor lord mayor. (List by Wm. Smith, Rouge-dragon.)
Henry Machyn's Diary. 17th September 1557. The xvij day of September whent owt of Nuwgatt unto Yslyngton beyonde the buthes [archery buttes] towardes the chyrche in a valley to be bornyd [burned] iiij; iij men, on women, for herese duly [proved;] ij of them was man and wyff dwellyng in sant Donstans in the Est, of the est syd of sant Donstons cherche-yerd with master [Waters,] sargant of armes, and att ther bornyng was (unfinished).
Note. P. 152. Master Waters, serjeant at arms. The name of "Edward Waters esquire, serjeant at armes, 1558," is among the burials at St. Dunstan's in the East recorded by Stowe.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 13th December 1559. The xiij day of Desember in the mornyng was by mysefortune in sant Dunstones in est a nold [an old] man on master Cottelle a talowchandler, he fell downe in a trape dore and pechyd hys hed a-pone a pesse of tymbur, and brust owtt ys braynes, for he was beldyng, so the trape dore was left opyn.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 16th December 1559. The xvj day of Desember was the sam man bered in sant Don stones in the est, master Cottell, that was slayne with (the) falle, and he had a sarmon, and all ys compene in ther clothyng, and a grett dener, for ther was mad mon [moan] for hym, and a dolle.... Parker [aged 55] electyd byshope of Canturbere.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 20th April 1562. The xx day of Aprell was mared in the parryche of sant Donstones in the est master Bacun('s) [aged 47] dowther, the salter, and brodur unto my lord keper [aged 51] of the selle of England; and ther was a grett wedyng; and after the marege done home to dener, for ther dynyd my lord keper and most of the conselle, and mony lades and mony of the quen's maydes gorgyowsly aparrell(ed), and grett chere; and master Valuntyne Browne dyd mare here [her], the audetour of Barwyke; ther was as gret chere as has byne sene in thes days.
Note. P. 280. Marriage of master Bacon's daughter. James Bacon, a brother of the lord keeper, was a fishmonger and alderman of London, and sheriff in 1569, but died in 1573, before arriving at the mayoralty. He was buried at St. Dunstan's in the East, and his epitaph will be found in Stowe's Survay, edit. 1633, p. 139.
On 11th June 1573 Alderman James Bacon [deceased] was buried at St Dunstan's in the East Parish where the inscription on his memorial reads "Here lyeth buried James Bacon, late of London Alderman and Sheriff, who departed this mortal life the 5th day of June, Anno Dom. 1573. Having Issue by Mary his first Wife, one Son and three Daughters. And by Margaret his second Wife, three Sons and one Daughter. And by Anne his third Wife, no Child"
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 22nd January 1663. We went to St. Dunstan's in the East church, where a sermon, but I staid not, but went home, and, after writing letters, I took coach to Mr. Povy's [aged 49], but he not within I left a letter there of Tangier [Map] business, and so to my Lord's, and there find him not sick, but expecting his fit to-night of an ague. Here was Sir Wm. Compton [aged 38], Mr. Povy, Mr. Bland, Mr. Gawden and myself; we were very busy about getting provisions sent forthwith to Tangier [Map], fearing that by Mr. Gawden's neglect they might want bread. So among other ways thought of to supply them I was empowered by the Commissioners of Tangier [Map] that were present to write to Plymouth and direct Mr. Lanyon to take up vessels great or small to the quantity of 150 tons, and fill them with bread of Mr. Gawden's lying ready there for Tangier [Map], which they undertake to bear me out in, and to see the freight paid. This I did.
On 25th June 1665 Admiral John Lawson [aged 50] died in Scarborough, North Yorkshire [Map] from wounds received at the Battle of Lowestoft. He was buried at St Dunstan's in the East Parish.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 23rd April 1668. Thence by water to the Temple [Map], and thereto the Cocke [aged 51] alehouse, and drank, and eat a lobster, and sang, and mighty merry. So, almost night, I carried Mrs. Pierce home, and then Knepp and I to the Temple [Map] again, and took boat, it being darkish, and to Fox Hall, it being now night, and a bonfire burning at Lambeth for the King's coronation-day. And there she and I drank;.... [Note. Missing text "and yo did tocar her corps all over and besar sans fin her, but did not offer algo mas; and so back, and led her home, it being now ten at night...."] and so back, and led her home, it being now ten at night; and so got a link; and, walking towards home, just at my entrance into the ruines at St. Dunstan's, I was met by two rogues with clubs, who come towards us. So I went back, and walked home quite round by the wall, and got well home, and to bed weary, but pleased at my day's pleasure, but yet displeased at my expence, and time I lose.
Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
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John Evelyn's Diary. 8th August 1686. Our vicar gone to dispose of his country living in Rutlandshire, having St. Dunstan in the east given him by the Archbishop of Canterbury [aged 69].
On 22nd May 1701 Henry St John 1st Viscount Bolingbroke [aged 22] and Frances Winchcombe Viscountess Bolingbroke [aged 20] were married at St Dunstan's in the East Parish.
On 12th October 1771 John Lubbock 1st Baronet [aged 27] and Elizabeth Christiana Commerell were married at St Dunstan's in the East Parish.
On 7th May 1622 James Boevey was born to Andreas Boevey [aged 66] at Mincing Lane.
The London Gazette 85. The people in all parts about it, distracted by the vastness of it, and their particular care to carry away their Goods, many attempts were made to prevent the spreading of it by pulling down Houses, and maKing great Intervals, but all in vain, the fire seizing upon the Timber and Rubbish, and so continuing it set even through those spaces, and raging in a bright flame all Monday and Teusday, not withstanding His Majesties own, and His Royal Highness's indefatigable and personal pains to apply all possible remedies to prevent it, calling upon and helping the people with their Guards; and a great number of Nobility and Gentry unwearidly assisting therein, for which they were requited with a thousand blessings from the poor distressed people. By the favour of God the Wind slackened a little on Teusday night & the Flameswmeeting with brick buildings at the Temple, by little and little it was observed to lose its force on that side, so that on Wednesday morning we began to hope well, and his Royal Highness never despairing or slackening his personal care wrought so well that day, assisted in some paris by the Lords of the Council before and hehind it that a stop was put to it at she Temple Church, neer Holborn-bridge, Pie-corner, Aldersgate, Cripple-gate, neer the lower end of Coleman-street, at the end of Basin-hall-street by the Postern at the upper end of Bishopsgate-strect and Leadenhall street, at the Standard in Cornlill at the church in Fenchurch street, neer Cloth-workers Hall in Mincing-lane at the middle of Mark-lane, and at the Tower-dock.